A BEWDLEY mother says her family wake up each morning feeling ill because of the smell of sewage that has lingered in their home for three months.

Sarah Upshaw, who lives with her children, nine-year-old Brandon and seven-year-old Lorna in a flat in Baldwin House, Lax Lane said the smell had been caused by wastewater, which had flooded the cellar.

The 38-year-old said: "The smell is awful. I am constantly burning candles and incense sticks to try and get rid of the smell. I am embarrassed to have anybody round.

"We go to bed and the first thing we do when we wake up in the morning is gag - the smell is that bad. My kids had to sit there on Christmas Day smelling it. They kept complaining all they could smell was poo."

Ms Upshaw added: "In my airing cupboard all the children's coats and the linen smell dreadful. The kids have been ill this week with colds and the smell just makes them feel even worse.

"I just don't know where to go from here. No-one seems to be able to sort it out for us. It is unbelievable."

Although she has a private landlord, the Community Housing Group owns the building in Lax Lane, and the single parent said there had been numerous visits made by representatives from both the group and Severn Trent Water to try and find the source of the leak.

Landlord, Adrian Dart, who has been trying to sort out the problem, which also affects another resident in a second flat, said: "This has been a problem for months and no-one seems to be able to sort it out for the tenants."

Fiona Law, strategy and marketing manager at The Community Housing Group said: "We are aware of the problem of water flooding in the cellar of Baldwin House and despite making several attempts to locate and rectify the problem, including the appointment of specialist drainage firms.

"We have been unable to ascertain that the source of the leak within the property," she added.

"We are aware of the concern this may be causing to residents of Baldwin House and so we are working in association with Severn Trent Water, who are responsible for the supply outside the building, to try and bring about a speedy conclusion.

"As far as we are aware, the water is waste water and not sewerage."

Ben Smallman, spokesman for Severn Trent Water, said: "Our situation with regards to Baldwin House is that it is a private matter and the council have now promised to repair the problem, which stemmed from a hole in the bottom of a sewer pipe, which led to flooding through the customer's basement wall."